European XC MTB Championships

The European Championships took place in St Wendel, Germany with Lene, Liam and Christoph each riding and representing their respective countries of Norway, Great Britain and Switzerland.

Women’s Race:

Lene was pleased with her race, given that she continued with a heavy block of training following the three weeks of back to back world cup racing in April and May - she will be a due a break soon! Although, never feeling on fire, Lene felt strong throughout the race to place a very respectable 12th.

Women’s Results:

1 Sabine Spitz (Germany)               2.08.59

2 Irina Kalentieva (Russia)               0.38

3 Gunn Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Norway)           

4 Laurence Leboucher (France)             2.13

5 Eva Lechner (Italy)                     2.51

6 Elsbeth van Rooij-Vink (Netherlands)    3.41

7 Petra Henzi (Switzerland)               3.47

8 Sabrina Enaux (France)                  4.25

9 Elisabeth Osl (Austria)                 4.26

10 Riera Margarita Fullana (Spain)        5.11

12 Lene Byberg (Norway)                   5.54

Men’s Race:

Christoph was definitely hoping for the win while Liam once again being relegated to the back of the field as a result of his ranking meant that he would have to fight his way through the crowds, which he certainly did. Despite being so far back Liam placed 27th.

Having spoken with Christoph last night he seemed very happy with his form and his silver medal. Here is Christoph’s report:

When we got called and cheered up to the start line at 13.30 it was windy, plus the nasty dark clouds did not look very friendly to me. Some of the worst pessimists changed their try tires to mud ones. Whoever knows me, knows, I would not even think of it, since my Specialized Fast Track LK are pretty good in the mud too.

The course here is fast and I knew the race will all come together on the last two laps. I was always up there riding in top 5 and watching out for eventual attacks.

The time took it’s toll and the whole field started to fall apart! I took this chance in the long fast downhill before going into second last lap and all this in the pouring rain (it started to rain). I maintained this lead until my countryman Vogel bridged the gap solo to me.

The cheer of all the spectators was ours starting the last lap and our mission was to stay clear of the pursuers and push those pedals as hard as we could that European Championship. In the forest with less then 10min to go, I hardly could not hold onto Vogel. With the super slippery ground we had to deal with., we also had to walk the one steep ramp, where my carbon road shoes did not have the grip to keep firm on the ground and Vogel. That was the tipping point and from there the European title was in sight and Vogel could make even more seconds on me.

I still returned home on the same day. A 4.5hrs drive on German, French and Swiss freeways with lots of flashing radars!

L-R: Christoph Sauser, Florian Vogel, Jakob Fuglsang 

Men’s Results:

1 Florian Vogel (Switzerland)             2.06.42

2 Christoph Sauser (Switzerland)             +0.34

3 Jakob Diemer Fuglsang (Denmark)            1.14

4 Ralph Näf (Switzerland)                    1.31

5 Christoph Soukup (Austria)                    

6 Thomas Frischknecht (Switzerland)          1.44

7 Fredrik Kessiakoff (Sweden)                1.50

8 Manuel Fumic (Germany)                     2.07

9 Jose Antonio Hermida Ramos (Spain)            

10 Marco Aurelio Fontana (Italy)             2.29

27 Liam Killeen (Great Britain)              6.12